"I didn't really have a team," said Kindle, a former All-Big 12 selection at Texas. "I just liked football. I grew up watching the Cowboys."

Now, Kindle would like nothing more than to play against his hometown team Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.

Inactive for the past three games as a healthy scratch, Kindle is hoping to crack the lineup after playing in just one game this season against the Philadelphia Eagles and recording one tackle.

"It would be nice," Kindle said. "It would be nice to play against anybody."

The former second-round draft pick has overcome a fractured skull suffered when he fell down two flights of stairs prior to his rookie season. He suffered permanent hearing damage in his left ear.

The Ravens recorded zero sacks in a 9-6 win over the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend, and just one sack the previous week against Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden. For the season, playing without injured outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, the Ravens have just nine sacks led by inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe's 2 1/2 sacks compared to opponents' total of 13 sacks.

Kindle, though, hasn't been called upon to try to revive the pass rush.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder hasn't complained, remaining patient and working hard to try to prove himself to the coaching staff that he should be included in the game plan.

"I don't really ask them anything," Kindle said. "You just work hard, and the time will come. You got to be calm. Frustration ain't going to get you nowhere. I'm practicing well. I got to keep doing that, and it will all fall into place."